Our view: Balanced lunch

Cheeseburgers, French fries and pizza are some of the least healthy lunches children could eat, but these items also are some of the most popular foods served.

Schools are caught in a dilemma. What to serve for lunch?

Cheeseburgers, French fries and pizza are some of the least healthy lunches children could eat, but these items also are some of the most popular foods served.

The federal government recently claimed progress in its eight-year effort to trim fat from lunches served in some 100,000 schools.

But because of loopholes in the federal rules, school cafeterias remain awash in a number of high-fat foods.

The problem, according to school cafeteria managers, is if they served only healthy food, they would risk an exodus of children to off-campus fast-food joints or less-than-wholesome bag lunches. Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture reimburses schools on the basis of meals students actually consume, defections like these could push a school districts lunch budget into the red. And that's the last thing they need right now.

What to do?

At least eight Midland County schools are not excluded from this national plight, but food service managers say they are doing everything in their powers to make it work.

A Hearst Newspapers and Daily News series, that started Sunday and will continue through Saturday, is taking a look at how our school lunches rate compared to USDA standards and how managers are trying to spice up the mid-day meal.

From what area students have said, that meal does have room for improvement. Is it possible to make the USDA happy and the students happy? Perhaps, but only if as a society healthier eating habits are reinforced. If children face a menu of fruits, vegetables and less fattening main courses at schools, they also must see that type of meal at home on a consistent basis.

Study after study has shown that America is getting fatter, particularly the school-age population. Lack of exercise is only part of the problem. The poor eating habits of many American families also are a contributing factor. For the government to achieve greater success with its healthy school lunch program, changes first are needed at home.